Star Wars: The Last Jedi Fan Theories Haven't 'Nailed the Big Stuff'

Star Wars: The Last Jedi writer/director Rian Johnson has voiced his appreciation for the many fan theories out there surrounding the film, but insists that not a one of them has yet to nail the really "big stuff" in the movie.

Among the questions currently hanging over The Last Jedi's head are: is Rey (Daisy Ridley) a Skywalker, a Solo, or something else altogether? What is the origin of Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) anyway? And just why has Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) been hiding out on the distant planet of Ahch-To for all these years? All these mysteries, and more, have left Star Wars fans speculating ever since the release of The Force Awakens back in 2015. But are any of the major fan theories - and/or proposed answers to these questions that fans have come up with - about these issues actually correct?

Speaking exclusively to Screen Rant at The Last Jedi press junket, Johnson told us none of the film's major reveals have been second-guessed by fans. We asked Johnson if the fans had actually been right about anything, and he gave a simple answer:

"I mean, nothing that's really nailed big stuff. No, which... I love reading the fan theories, you know, having been a Star Wars fan myself and been on the other side of the curtain most of my life it's pretty cool to be back behind, like peeking through saying seeing like I would have people guessing."

It's always been clear that Lucasfilm was watching the fan theories develop. In fact, several members of the Lucasfilm Story Group use Twitter to interact with the fans. Most prominent of all has been Pablo Hidalgo, who's openly encouraged fans to speculate. Nevertheless, this quote's an interesting one, suggesting that Johnson has very much enjoyed seeing The Last Jedi fan theories build momentum. What's more, he seems to be indicating that none of the film's major plot twists have actually been guessed.

That said, it's important to note that Johnson and the fans may disagree wildly about what the "big stuff" actually is. In Johnson's view, the greatest mysteries of the Star Wars Saga only matter to the extent they influence his film's character arcs and narrative. In interviews earlier this year, Johnson argued that Snoke's backstory - like Rey's parentage - will be explored only to the extent that they "serve a function in the story." He's repeatedly pointed out that a story is not a Wikipedia page, answering all our fan questions; it only gives you the information you need to make sense of the story itself.

The last few weeks before a film's release are always a tense time for the crew. If trailers and TV spots give away too much information, fans will work out every plot twist and unravel every mystery - before walking into the theater knowing exactly what to expect. Excitingly, it seems that just over 10 days before the theatrical release of The Last Jedi, we still don't know what's in store for our heroes.